The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 313

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story Episode 7
Hyeol Seong-gun’s eyes rolled back as he let out a furious roar.
“Kill this wretch! Take it by any means necessary!”
I leaped down beside Namgung Ryu-cheong, positioning myself firmly as I spoke.
“How long can you hold out?”
“Long enough to keep you from falling.”
“Your stubbornness never ceases.”
After that, I swung my blade in a frenzy of motion.
Under normal circumstances, the silk would have been reduced to ash long ago, but the flames consumed it with surprising slowness. No—it was clear that some strange power within the silk was resisting the fire itself.
And as the silk gradually diminished, Hyeol Seong-gun’s face twisted into something demonic.
‘His reaction is far from ordinary.’
What in the world could be written on it?
Originally, my plan was to let the silk burn sufficiently and then escape with Namgung Ryu-cheong. But seeing his reaction, I understood this was something that could never be surrendered.
That was when I felt it—even amid the chaos of battle, the ground trembled. It was a vibration like the thundering approach of galloping horses.
‘Who could that be? Could the Muyang Escort Agency be returning already?’
Hyeol Seong-gun’s laughter pierced the night sky, as if he shared my thought.
“Hahahaha, how fortunate. No need to pursue them. Tear apart everyone who comes—make them suffer before they die!”
I twisted my face in disgust.
‘Those fools! They’re useless and yet they march straight into death!’
But as the sound drew closer, even Hyeol Seong-gun’s expression began to fade.
‘The numbers are far too great to be the Muyang Escort Agency.’
I too felt the same confusion.
Boom—Crash!
With a deafening explosion that seemed to split the heavens, an entire section of the Blood Cult Remnant Camp collapsed in an instant. And a familiar voice, laden with inner force, thundered across the sky like divine judgment.
“Who tears whom apart?”
A figure at the vanguard of the troops soared into the air with a single bound, landing directly in the center of the collapsed camp. As he touched down, the dust cloud that had erupted from the fierce impact dispersed in a perfect circle.
I cried out with a radiant face.
“Father!”
In that instant, the brilliantly gleaming arc of a blade faltered.
With a dull thud, Hyeol Seong-gun’s guard collapsed to the ground, blood pouring from his body.
Namgung Wan burst out in exasperation.
“Blast it, you made me kill him!”
“I missed you, Father!”
After that, roughly a hundred soldiers—the source of the earth-shaking sound—descended upon the Blood Cult Remnant forces.
“Aaahhh!”
Screams and blood filled the air. Though the Cult Remnants outnumbered them, these troops had been assembled with only Namgung Ryu-cheong and me in mind.
Hyeol Seong-gun stared at me with an expression from which all emotion had drained. I did not avert my gaze.
Finally, Hyeol Seong-gun closed the curtains of his palanquin. The disorganized Cult forces followed in his retreat.
The battle ended swiftly. Most of the soldiers who had followed Namgung Wan moved to pursue the fleeing Cult Remnants, leaving only the Muyang Escort Agency personnel and a portion of the guard detail in this devastated place.
I felt the sidelong glances of the Muyang Escort Agency scouts as they pretended to attend to the corpses and wounded. Hak Jin-pyeong too bore a confused expression, as if he had much he wished to say but could not find where to begin.
I turned to face him with a bright smile and admiring eyes.
“Father, you always save me. You’re the best!”
“Better than your own father?”
“Pardon?”
“You just said I was the best. Were you lying?”
Was this middle-aged man in his forties really asking such a petty question?
It seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking this—Namgung Ryu-cheong beside me spoke up.
“Father, are you really asking about that….”
I quickly reached behind my back and jabbed Namgung Ryu-cheong sharply, then spoke.
“Lying? Never, Father! How could I? You’re the absolute best!”
“That’s what I thought.”
“Of course, naturally!”
Namgung Wan, wearing a triumphant smile, looked past me and spoke.
“See? Did you hear that?”
“…?”
A chill ran down my spine.
I turned to follow Namgung Wan’s gaze. In that instant, my breath caught.
There stood my father—a breathtakingly beautiful middle-aged man with hair gleaming white in the moonlight, fair as jade.
No, no, no! Why were they both here together! Was this even allowed?
Father had only recently become the Family Head, and there was still the matter of succession to settle! Could he really leave the family and wander about like this? Could he?
My father, his expression grim, regarded me briefly before turning to Namgung Wan and speaking.
“You’re not a child. What is the meaning of this?”
Despite Father’s rebuke, Namgung Wan merely wore that infuriating expression of mock agreement.
Father seemed to swallow a sigh and shifted his gaze from Namgung Wan back to me.
Beneath that solemn gaze, I felt compelled to kneel and beg forgiveness.
“Baek Li-yeon.”
The moment Father opened his mouth, instead of kneeling, I squeezed my eyes shut and cried out.
“Dad! I missed you so much!”
Throwing myself into his embrace came naturally.
“….”
“….”
I couldn’t bring myself to lift my face from Father’s chest.
I’d never done this since growing up. In fact, I’d never even called him “Dad” as a child!
After what felt like an eternity of silence, I felt a gentle hand stroking my hair.
“Good. I’m relieved you’re unharmed.”
Success?
Hesitantly, I lifted my head to find Father gazing down at me with a faint smile.
The gloom and solemnity from moments before had vanished without a trace. He seemed slightly taken aback, but his eyes sparkled with joy.
So what if I lost a little face? I could afford to lose far more. For Father’s happiness, it was worth it!
Certainly, it had nothing to do with my fear of being scolded. Nothing at all.
At that moment, I heard a snort that sounded like someone striking a flint.
“Ui-gang. Surely you haven’t forgotten the mess these children caused just because you heard a few words?”
Father…!
I made an aggrieved expression.
My father spoke in a measured tone.
“Forgotten? Hardly. However, I shall discipline my own daughter as I see fit, so there’s no need for you to concern yourself.”
My father, who had paused briefly, continued with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
“You are ‘Father.’ I am ‘Dad.'”
“….”
“….”
What did I just hear?
Did those childish words truly come from my father’s mouth?
I was in denial about what I’d just witnessed, and Namgung Wan looked visibly taken aback.
Snapping back to my senses, I quickly interjected and changed the subject.
“But shouldn’t we go after Hyeol Seong-gun right away? We’re fine, really.”
My father answered with a faint smile.
“Don’t worry. We’ve already surrounded the entire perimeter.”
Ah, so that’s why my father had appeared so late—he’d been handling the encirclement.
Meanwhile, Namgung Wan gazed at me with an unreadable expression.
The moment my father finished speaking, he suddenly reached out—
“Aaaaaaaah!”
He grabbed my ear and yanked it hard.
“Hyeol Seong-gun? You’re worried about that now? You reckless little fool! What in the world are you doing here! Do you have any idea how frightened I was? And now you’re asking about Hyeol Seong-gun?”
“What are you doing right now!”
“Father!”
My startled father wrapped his arms around me and stepped back.
Namgung Ryu-cheong urgently positioned himself between me and Namgung Wan.
“Stop making a fuss. I didn’t pull that hard! I’ve never seen anyone as dramatic as you! Ryu-cheong, step aside! You’re next!”
Namgung Wan shoved Namgung Ryu-cheong aside with a rough hand.
Seeing Namgung Ryu-cheong stagger, I gasped and broke free from my father’s embrace, rushing to pull him into my arms.
“Father, Ryu-cheong is hurt! He was protecting me when—”
Namgung Ryu-cheong tried to pull away as if he were fine, so I pinched his side sharply to tell him to stay still.
Pay attention!
When he continued to move, I pinched him even harder.
Only then did I feel him finally understand and lean his weight against me.
And in the midst of this struggle, I failed to notice my father’s disappointed expression behind us.
I called out urgently.
“Ryu-cheong! Are you alright?”
“….”
Namgung Ryu-cheong gave no answer.
Namgung Wan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before clenching his teeth and speaking.
“Feel better soon.”
Phew, well… could we really get away with this so easily?
Just as I was about to relax, Namgung Ryu-cheong suddenly grew heavy against me, his entire body leaning into mine.
It was all over—why was he still keeping up the act?
Then I understood. This wasn’t an act. His entire body had gone completely limp, as if all his strength had drained away.
I loosened my grip and lifted Namgung Ryu-cheong’s face toward me.
“Ryu-cheong? Ryu-cheong…!”
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s forehead, slick with cold sweat, burned like a coal of fire.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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